


The Gift of Love

by Daovihi



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Gifts, Grumpy Arthur, M/M, Pining, Pining Arthur, arthur secretly cares, kieran has no idea whats going on, traumatized kieran, tsundere Arthur
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 08:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19225000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daovihi/pseuds/Daovihi
Summary: When Kieran woke up that morning, he was underneath a warm blanket. A blanket that was definitely not his.





	The Gift of Love

When Kieran woke up that morning, he was underneath a warm blanket. A blanket that was definitely not his. It was a simple gray blanket, but the material felt heavenly against the cold morning air. Someone had to have put it on him during the night, but who?

Kieran asks around camp, trying to return the blanket. But all of the gang members he's asked haven't even seen the blanket before. That just leaves Arthur and Bill. A shudder runs down Kieran's spine as he thinks about approaching Bill, so instead, he opts to ask Arthur.

"Mr Morgan?" Kieran approaches Arthur just as he pours himself a cup of coffee. 

"What?" Arthur grumbles.

"This your blanket?" Kieran holds up the blanket, plain for Arthur to see.

Arthur scoffs and turns his head away. "Course not. Why would I give you one of my blankets?"

"…I guess that's a good point." Kieran starts folding up the blanket again. "You know who did?"

"Nope." Arthur takes a sip of coffee.

Kieran frowns. He glances over to Bill, who's stumbling around, clearly already drunk. "You think… Bill did it?" Kieran whispers Bill's name, as though saying it out loud would summon Bill and his tongs. "He's the only person I haven't asked."

Arthur makes a face. Must be the coffee, Kieran decides. "Course it ain't Bill. He don't care 'bout you at all."

"I sure hope he didn't give it to me." Kieran suppresses a shudder. "He- he really scares me."

Arthur's knuckles briefly flash white. "Well, ain't nothin' I can do 'bout that." Arthur shrugs.

Kieran looks down at the blanket in his hands, then sighs. "Wish I didn't have to be afraid all the time. Just once, I'd like to wake up surrounded by friends."

"…Don'cha have work to do?" Arthur harshly prods.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Kieran sighs. "I'll go now."

"Wait, Kieran-"

Kieran already started walking over to the horses. He can already tell he's going to somehow 'earn' the wrath of a gang member, just by existing. And if someone accuses him of stealing the blanket… Kieran shudders to think of what they might use that excuse for. He sets the blanket down on a relatively clean spot and starts brushing the horses.

"Hey there, Branwen." Kieran says as he approaches his own horse. "Wanna be brushed?"

Branwen snorts and shoves his nose into Kieran's face. Kieran laughs and pats Branwen on the neck. "You're a good horse." Kieran steps to the side and starts brushing Branwen… or tries to. Branwen just keeps turning with him and shoving her face into Kieran. "Guess you're in a playful mood today, huh?"

Branwen shakes his head and stomps his hooves. Kieran pets Branwen's muzzle, then reaches around and finally starts brushing him. Branwen lets him, if only so that Branwen can sniff him for any sugar cubes or apples.

"Sorry, don't got any treats." Kieran tells him, earning an annoyed huff and a swish of a tail. "Don't worry boy, breakfast is gonna be here soon."

Kieran whistles to himself as he works. When Branwen's fur is nice and clean, Kieran turns around to brush another horse… only to be met with a mouthful of hay. Kieran splutters and spits out the hay.

"Watch where you're going." Arthur grumbles as he walks around Kieran and dumps the hay with the horses.

"S-sorry." Kieran brushes the hay off his clothes.

Arthur mutters something under his breath. He bends over and picks up Kieran's hat, which must have been knocked off when Arthur bumped into him. "You dropped this."

Kieran takes it and mumbles out a thanks as he brushes the hay off the hat. Arthur glances over his shoulder, then his face take on an unrecognizable expression.

"Ya got some hay in your hair."

Kieran combs his hair with his fingers. "Did I get all of it?"

"No. There's some…" Arthur points to the sides of his head.

Kieran fingercombs the sides of his head. "Now?"

"Ugh. I'll get it." Arthur picks the hay out and throws it to the ground like it personally offended Jack. "There."

"Thank you, Mr Morgan." Kieran smiles a little. He would go back to his chores, but something about Arthur makes Kieran stick around.

"Didja eat yet?"

Kieran blinks. "What?"

"I said, did you eat yet?"

"Uh, no?"

Arthur runs his hand down his face, shakes his head, and leaves. Kieran furrows his brows as he gets back to work. That was a strange conversation. Kieran shrugs it off and spreads out the hay for the horses. All of them flock to it and start eating.

"Heh. You horses are hungry today." Kieran smiles as the horses eat their fill. Branwen in particular plows through the hay, eating so fast that Kieran wonders if she ate yesterday.

"O'Driscoll!"

Kieran jumps at the sudden shout and lets out an embarrassing squeak. He unconsciously covers his privates as he turns around. Arthur's standing there with a deep-set frown. Kieran shrinks back, lip trembling.

"Y-yes, Mr Morgan?"

"Huh. You didn't deny you was an O'Driscoll this time."

"I'm- I'm not. I'm one a you guys." Kieran's heart thumps in his chest, beating faster in preparation for what's to come.

Arthur chuckles. "Alright, alright, I'll let it slide. Horses feedin' well?"

"Uh, yeah?" Kieran slowly brings his hands towards his sides, but doesn't leave them there.

"Good. Don't want dem horses starvin'." Arthur nods. Now that Kieran's not scared for his life (or his balls) anymore, he notices that Arthur's holding a bowl of what Kieran assumes to be Pearson's stew. Kieran's tummy growls at the smell.

"So, uh… anythin' I can help ya with?" Kieran shifts his weight from one foot to the other, and back again.

Arthur scoffs and looks away. "Help me? I wouldn't let ya help me pick a new hat."

"Oh, uh, okay. I'll get back to work, then." Kieran takes a few steps back and turns around.

Arthur grabs Kieran's sleeve and harshly yanks him back. Kieran lets out a yelp as he smacks right into Arthur's broad chest. His broad, muscular chest… Kieran jolts back as though he's been burned.

"I'm- I'm sorry!" Kieran whimpers. "Please don't hurt me!"

Arthur mutters something under his breath. Kieran only makes out 'Bill.' "Uh, here." Arthur holds out the bowl.

"I, I don't understand." Kieran stares at the bowl of stew, trying to decipher the puzzle Arthur's offering.

"I got ya stew." Arthur frowns at Kieran. After a moment, he adds: "The worst bits, of course. Stuff even Cain won't eat."

"I, uh…" Kieran glances between Arthur's face and the stew. "Thank you." He hesitantly takes the bowl from Arthur's hand.

Arthur's grimace grows deeper. He suddenly takes a step forward and points at Kieran. Kieran shrinks back as Arthur glares daggers at him. "Now listen here, O'Driscoll: this don't mean I trust you any more than before, okay? I just gave you scraps. Scraps that woulda gone to waste anyway. You'd be doin' us a favor by eatin' it for us. Ya hear me?"

Kieran's bottom lip trembles, as do his hands. "Y-yes, sir."

Arthur blinks and steps back. He looks to his hand, then Kieran, and puts his hand down. "You, you alright?"

Kieran thickly swallows. "Wha… what was that for?"

Arthur stutters. After a few seconds, he sighs, closes his mouth, and walks away. Kieran watches him disappear into camp, then takes a moment to collect himself. He looks down at the stew. Well, his stew. There's plenty of chunks of meat floating in it, with chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes to accompany it. Arthur even left a spoon in the bowl. Kieran furrows his brows.

Scraps…?


End file.
